Reviewed by Colin Jacobson (April 23, 2025)
As the Star Wars “Sequel Trilogy” came to an end with 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker, Disney didn’t decide to give the franchise a break. Immediately before – and during – the theatrical film’s appearance on screens, a new series called The Mandalorian ran on the Disney+ streaming channel.
Set between Return of the Jedi and the Sequel Trilogy events that first came to us with The Force Awakens, Mandalorian follows its title character. All eight of Season Two’s episodes appear on these two 4K UHD discs, with plot synopses straight from the show’s official site.
The Marshal: “The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) heads to the Outer Rim in search of others of his kind.”
In this case, “Outer Rim” means a visit back to good old Tattooine. It feels a little soon for the Mandalorian to return to that very familiar location, but I don’t mind.
“Marshal” starts immediately after the end of S1, so this sends the Mandalorian on a journey to return the Child to the Jedi. When we deal with the episode’s title character, we go down a serious Western path.
Which echoes the first season, as “The Man With No Name” always existed as a clear inspiration for the Mandalorian. Despite some cliché elements, “Marshal” manages to start S2 well, and it includes some intriguing additions to the Star Wars mythology.
The Passenger: “The Mandalorian must ferry a passenger (Misty Rosas) with precious cargo on a risky journey.”
I admit I think I like Mandalorian best when it offers glimpses of the New Republic and the leftovers of the Empire. Given that the movies skip ahead decades between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, I enjoy any information about those developments.
Not that “Passenger” offers much in that regard, though we do get a little related to the New Republic. Mostly it shows the Mandalorian’s mission, and it brings good action and excitement along the way.
The Heiress: “The Mandalorian braves high seas and meets unexpected allies.”
Though the series typically keeps missions self-contained, “Heiress” actually extends the tale from “Passenger” – well, briefly, at least. “Heiress” heads out on its own way before long, but it remains unusual for Mandalorian to need more than one show to complete a particular narrative.
As for those “unexpected allies”, that means more Mandalorians. These encounters follow somewhat unanticipated paths and add spice to the season. The return of S1’s main villain also gives the show a kick.
The Siege: “The Mandalorian rejoins old allies for a new mission.”
In this case, “old allies” means “folks we know from Season One”. And that works fine with me, as I don’t mind a reprise of established characters.
Though this reprise can feel a little gratuitous, “Siege” makes it work. We find a lively adventure in this top-notch episode.
The Jedi: “The Mandalorian travels to a world ruled by a ruthless magistrate (Diana Lee Inosanto) who has made a powerful enemy (Rosario Dawson).”
As the episode title implies, the “powerful enemy” in question is a Jedi, though I’ll leave her identity a secret to avoid spoilers. Her presence allows the program to offer backstory about the Child as well.
We finally get his name – “Grogu”, which you probably already knew – along with his history among the Jedi. The show boasts a nice mix of scintillating action and exposition and becomes S2’s best episode to date.
The Tragedy: “The Mandalorian and Child travel to an ancient site.”
Unmentioned in that synopsis: the improbable appearance of an Original Trilogy character. That probably offers too “spoilery” a comment on its own so I won’t elaborate.
Other than to note that this role’s return seems highly contrived and should prompt eye-rolling. Which is does – a little.
But given the nature of the Star Wars franchise, I don’t really mind. We’ve definitely seen more overt fan service over the decades.
“Tragedy” integrates this revived character well and creates a compelling show. Toss in more vibrant action and the episode works well.
The Believer: “To move against the Empire, the Mandalorian needs the help of an old enemy.”
Star Wars loves its sequences in which rebels must infiltrate Empire compounds. That again becomes the focus of this episode.
Despite that well-worn trope, “Believer” offers a good kick. As with the past few shows, it boasts terrific action and also moves us toward the season finale’s narrative thrust in a compelling manner.
The Rescue: “The Mandalorian and his allies attempt a daring rescue.”
As I noted when I discussed S2’s first episode, Mandalorian leaned toward Western territory during S1 and through “The Marshal”. Those themes faded as S2 progressed, though, and much of the remainder of the year simply feels more like Star Wars.
Which I appreciate. While I enjoyed S1, I didn’t think it always came across as truly connected with the Star Wars universe, whereas S2 shows a clearer link.
Of course, my “clearer link” might equal someone else’s “too much fan service”, which seems fair. That said, S1 came with tons of nods to Star Wars lore, so I don’t think S2 escalates that trajectory in a substantial manner.
S2 simply seems more fun as well, exemplified by the dynamic climax found in “Rescue”. Like “Believer”, the episode doesn’t reinvent Star Wars wheels, but it doesn’t need to do so.
Instead, “Rescue” leads S2 to its conclusion with a thrilling adventure. It completes a strong package of shows on a high note.
Footnote: a tag scene appears after the end of “Rescue”. It offers a teaser for a Mandalorian spinoff series.
